One of the most important rain riding skill to develop is to know when to slow down. I have a friend who says: the secret to wet weather riding is 80%. He rides in wet weather by doing everything at 80 % of dry weather riding. This means that, as a general rule, he rides at 80% of his usual speed and applies 80% of the braking pedal pressures he would apply on dry pavement.

Running 80% is a good idea but this simple percentage technique doesnt account for ones need to evaluate the road conditions that I spoke of before. Maybe the road conditions dictate applying 70%, 50% or even less. Experienced riders continuously evaluate the road conditions and their weather environment as they proceed.

Sometimes, wet weather riding comes in surprise forms. I was on my way to San Diego. It was a moonless night. Somewhere outside of El Centro, California, I encountered what I thought was light rain. The trucks were sending the rain up as tire spray. Visibility was reduced. I slowed down, concerned not knowing when it had last rained. I had just come from Abilene, TX. I thought about stopping to put on my rain gear. It was in the high 60s. I looked up to check the cloud cover and saw, to my amazement, stars! This wasnt rain! It was dew, really heavy dew. The lesson here is that even on a clear cloudless night you can encounter wet riding conditions. This is something to remember.

Other riding techniques:

* Take a riding break, letting the passing traffic wash the road clean of oils and grease. * Ride in the tire tracks of the cars and trucks ahead of you. * Stay clear of the oil and debris covered center groove. Try not to ride down the center of any lane continuously. Move to either side of the lane (the tire tracks in each lane). You can actually see the oil build-up as evidenced by the darker color stripe running down the middle of the lane. This is especially true on freeways and interstates. * Dont travel in the far right lanes if you can possibly avoid them. I spend the bulk of my time in the far left lane on a multilane highway.

Dont forget that in the rain, you should be relaxed and aware of all traffic, road hazards and the weather in front, to the sides and in back of you. Plan and maneuver to avoid being placed in harms way. Plan your escape routes ahead of time. The last thing you want to be doing during a traffic panic attack is to be looking for an escape route. You should have had one or two planned long before.

Know where your weather is coming from. It makes a huge difference if the storm is moving in from the side, versus the front or behind. Your riding style will change based on he direction of the storm winds.

Hint: take 800mg of ibuprofen before long rides. This will help to cut down on the inflammation of your muscles and joints.

Do active and isometric exercises while riding improve lymph circulation and by wearing support stockings. Make sure Smokey isnt behind you. He may pull you over to see what the heck your doing.